Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Q is for . . .

The Quinhai Province of China. Why this? Because of the Baigong Pipes, of course! Never heard of them? Well, neither had I.



Mt. Baigong is weird for a couple of reasons. First, it's more a hill than an actual mountain. There are three caves near the base with triangle shaped openings. Inside the caves are pipe-like structures where there couldn't possibly be any man-made pipes.




These tubes range in size from a needle to 16 inches in diameter. Some of them stretch from deep inside the mountain to a salt water lake 260 feet away. This is not a populated area. These pipes are not human in origin.



So where did they come from? Alien plumbers? Probably not. The composition of these so-called pipes turns out to be 92% common mineral and metals and 8% unknown, but don't grab your aluminum foil hat yet.

Scientists think these "pipes" are fossils of tree roots. These roots underwent both pedogenesis (turning plant matter into soil) and diagenesis (turning soil into rock). So it's not a mammoth alien organ, which would have been cool.

(Information adapted from Atlas Obscura Baigong Pipes and Ancient Wisdom Baigong Pipes.)

Ever heard of these pipes before? Ever been to China? Did you have to cheat a bit on your Q word?

27 comments:

  1. This is very interesting and something new that I've learned. I am always astonished over nature. There are lots of countries that have such ancient treasures hidden within their borders. Thank you.
    Shalom,
    Patricia @ EverythingMustChange

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  2. LOL, this sounds similar to the cause behind my post today--just nature. Nature can do some pretty crazy things!

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  3. I'd heard of these before. So fascinating!

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  4. This is awesome...and something I need to point out to fellow RPGers. Looks like a cool dungeon feature to me!

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  5. I saw a documentary one time that mentioned these but I'd forgotten about them. Thanks for the reminder.

    @Kathleen01930
    Meet My Imaginary Friends
    #AtoZchallenge

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  6. This geological phenomenon is amazing! There's something similar in New Zealand along one of the coastlines.

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  7. This is amazing. I've heard nothing of it before. It's another place I'd love to see.

    Keith's Ramblings

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  8. I've not heard of these pipes before. After the explanation of tree root fossils, it makes sense.

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  9. Huh. Most interesting. Looks almost like something created by the Disney Imagineers for one of the rides! But it's real...

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  10. Whew. I was getting worried until you mentioned the tree roots.

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  11. Those pipes look really cool. That would be an awesome place to visit and see for yourself.

    ~Ninja Minion Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

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  12. Wow, now that a unique choice for Q. Very interesting. I'd not heard of these! Amazing the power of nature! Yeah, she'll be here long after we're gone! :)

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  13. You made me laugh with 'Alien Plumbers?'

    A very interesting post indeed.

    Aneeta from
    How to Tell a Great Story

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  14. This looks so cool! really interesting information. I like your blog, it is full of amazing posts.
    #atozchallenge

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  15. What an amazing find. I want to rush off there as soon as my summer holidays begin :)

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  16. I had no heard of those pipes before - it's so interesting that so many could fossilise at the same time. My husband has been to China several times, unfortunately it was on business, so I have not had a chance to go too. I had to go hunting for Q, but I did not have to cheat - that's coming up for X ;)
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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  17. Phew never made it yesterday due to work. . . . Not that I work any longer as I am sort of retired but I promised I would go in to sort of do a little job for them. Why do folk always pick sunny days.

    As for the the Baigong Pipes. It has all the hallmarks of a Harry Potter story if you ask me. I would like to say, O yes we have them in our garden, but the nearest thing I can think of is a decomposing petrified Hammond Organ in the back of the garage. . . I say garage it is in fact full stuff most of which looks like in should be on a scrap heap. One day it will all be useful (sort of).

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  18. I didn't have to cheat on Q. This place looks interesting--a little like the Devil's Post Pile in the Sierras

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  19. Never heard of these pipes; have never visited China; didn't cheat on my blog post! This post was fascinating. The origin of those pipes is intriguing. I'll take your word for it but I suspect they are the discarded, fossilised straws of the extinct Giant Coke-Drink Monkey.

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  20. I hadn't heard of these. It would be neat to see them! I wonder if they make noise in the wind.

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  21. But do they make music?
    That would be even cooler.

    Heather

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